Getty ImagesWhile this camp features stars that made up the Olympic team, the U.S. coach will also look to younger players to break through
As fun as this summer was, the calendars have now turned to fall. And with fall comes fresh beginnings, particularly for the U.S. women's national team. It was mission accomplished with a gold-medal performance at the Summer Olympics, and it all gets going again this week, when Emma Hayes' squad takes on Iceland in a pair of friendlies.
They're the first games since the USWNT won gold, the first chance to turn the page. Hayes, in particular, has been vocal about the new challenges. She's looking forward to them.
"The Olympics form a great basis and they're a great foundation for us," Hayes said, "but it's not a future predictor for success."
Hayes has to adjust the player pool by introducing a new generation over the next three years. She has to figure out which veterans have staying power and which are transitional. She has to take this chance to build the team in her image after speeding through her first summer.
And that leads us back to this camp, the first glimpse into how Hayes will build this team toward the 2027 World Cup. The USWNT play Iceland Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in Austin, Texas, and then again Sunday at 5:30 p.m. in Nashville. What to expect from the USWNT in these two games, with a third against Argentina to follow? GOAL takes a look.
